The first setback of the Frome racer’s afternoon was about to unfold, as Hamilton fought back against his teammate. He attempted to pass Button as the two cars went down the pit straight, but Jenson did not see him and sent Lewis crashing into the pit wall, eliminating him immediately.

Moments later, Button’s race looked like it was turning into a nightmare, for he was served with a drive-through penalty for speeding behind the safety car. A gamble to pit for intermediate tyres also failed, leaving him rooted at the back.

Jenson Button charged from last to first in the final 30 laps of the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix (Image: Getty Images)

Button had worked his way up to 11 place before a deluge drenched the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, causing the race to be stopped for two hours.

This was a chance for Button to regroup, but his nightmare afternoon took another turn for the worse when he collided with the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso and put the Spaniard out of race.

His own car damaged, Button was forced to pit yet again. With 40 of the 70 laps completed he was dead last.

Then came the fightback. Perfectly in tune with his car in the damp conditions that he so relishes, Button scythed his way back through the field. When the time came to change to dry tyres on lap 51, he was up to eighth.

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Eighth became fourth as several drivers badly timed their switch to the dry tyres, and 15 laps were left for Button to make up a sizeable up over the front three.

Then came a lucky break as Kamui Kobayashi and Nick Heidfeld collided and brought out the safety car. The pack bunched up, Button suddenly smelt blood.

With ten laps remaining, Vettel led Schumacher and Mark Webber. With the race now a sprint to the flag, Button made his way up to second with five laps remaining and set about bridging a three second gap to Vettel, who had been at the front all day.